Wondering, Waiting and Worrying About Tomorrow
by jeni875
Summary: A charmed story involving the four sisters, plus a younger sister, so it’s the Power of Five. Secrets are revealed about the youngest Charmed one and why she is so powerful.


Wondering, Waiting and Worrying About Tomorrow

_A charmed story involving the four sisters, plus a younger sister, so it's the Power of Five. Secrets are revealed about the youngest Charmed one and why she is so powerful. _

At night everything seemed spooky. Tree branches bashed at the window, as their leaves danced shadows across the ceilings. She pulled the covers to her chin, as she tried to ignore her heart thumping in her chest. She had faced demons and all sorts of evil and yet she was scared at the mere shakes of nature. Carefully she pushed away the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed. With a well practiced skill, she ducked her head under the bed, checking for monsters….or worse demons, all clear! She jumped down from the bed and walked to the door, her long golden brown hair falling down her back. Just as she reached her exit, a crack of thunder made her jump, and grasp for the door knob. The door flung open, and she ran out into the corridor, her bare feet creeping along the wooden floor. The door across from her read, "Keep Out" in deep red letters, the little girl ignored that door and continued down the hall, to her destination. She opened another door, and stood in the door frame, clutching her worn teddy in one hand, and the door knob in the other, hesitant to go inside. The sleeping figure, turned at the creak of the door, her black hair falling across the pillows. She sat up to get a closer look at her late night visitor. Prue Halliwell smiled at the sight of the little girl standing at her door, "Hey, baby." She said as she patted the space beside her. The girl needed no more encouragement; she ran to the bed and snuggled in close.

"I wondered when you would find you way in here," Prue whispered into the girl's hair.

"Oh.. I was just checking to see if you weren't scared cause of the storm," the girl answered, knowing that her trembling body would not fool her oldest sister. And it didn't Prue kissed her sister's forehead and brushed the hair out of the girl's face. The girl closed her eyes and let her sister sooth her as she fell asleep in her Prue's arms. Prue loved her little sister's innocence, it reminded her when she use to climb into her mom's bed at times like these when their mom was alive and when Prue herself was this age. But her littlest sister was never that lucky, Patty Halliwell had died when Porta was a baby, leaving Prue as the one that Porta came to when she had nightmare, or a cut foot and even during storms. As she watched Porta, sleep through the storm, one thumb in her mouth, and the other hand tightly clutched around her teddy, seemingly in her safety zone, Prue thought of the mother she lost, and the orphan lying in her arms, safe.

Prue awoke to the sound of a bustling household at nine o'clock in the morning. All that remained of her late night visitor was a ragged old teddy past down through all the sisters and the faint smell of milk and cookies of the nine year old. She threw on some clothes and drew her hair into a loose pony tail. Prue stepped out of her room to be greeted with blaring rock music vibrating the floor boards. She followed the noise down the hallway to its source, an angry sixteen year old's bedroom. Prue ignored Paige's handcrafted "Keep Out" sign and proceeded to open the door. She had to push past the mounts of clothes that had built up, from Piper attempting to return Paige's washing but not knowing where to put in amongst the school books, art supplies and who knows what else. The only inhabitant of the room, sat crossed legged in the center, sketch book opened, mindlessly tapping her pencil waiting for the inspiration to come to her. Paige's red hair was wildly unrestricted falling over her shoulders, as she twirled one piece with her finger, deep in thought. The music was so loud that she didn't notice her oldest sister in the room, until her "thinking" music was aggressively ceased.

"Paige, the state of this room is disgusting, you're not going to that party tonight until you clean it," Prue said surveying the mess surrounding her. Paige's unmade bed was covered in what looked like the remnants of her wardrobe, along with bowls and plates that she had failed to return to the kitchen. Prue wondered how Paige managed to sleep in her bed at night.

"Yeah yeah I'll do it later, or maybe I'll just make it all, you know, vanish, for you… Perfect Prue," Paige answered waving her hands around the room in an attempt to scare her sister into thinking that she would use magic to clean her room.

"Two words, 'personal gain'!" Prue said as she made her way out the room, but not before adding, "Oh and yeah 'grounded forever'!"

However not before Paige yelled, "Three words, 'read the sign'!" and she slammed the door on Prue's retreating back.

Prue was met by Phoebe who seemed to be hurrying down the stairs, buttoning as a shirt as she went. "I see you got Paige on a good day," Phoebe told her older sister, sarcasm lining every word.

"Yeah seems like it. You're off to work early for a Saturday," Prue answered as she followed Phoebe into the kitchen.

"You know deadlines and stuff," Phoebe replied as she ran her hand through Porta's hair as she rushed past the table to in search of coffee.

As usual Piper was the first up and organised for the day, standing over the stove flipping pancakes, "Porta, bring your plate over." She asked her sister, as she continued to flip pancakes.

"Yum Yum I got pancakes in my tum," Porta sang she skipped over to the stove. Piper loaded her plate with pancakes and started pouring mixture into the pan for the next batch.

"Careful,…hold the plate _straight_," Prue said as she reached out for her sister as she saw the pancakes slide from Porta's tilted plate. With one swift motion Piper froze the plate, as Prue flicked the pancakes back.

"Oops…thanks" Porta said giving her eldest sister puppy eyes in case she was going to get cranky at her, when Prue said nothing she carefully carried her plate back to the table.

Meanwhile Phoebe was racing through the house obviously looking for something that she lost, "Has anyone seen my keys I swear I put them on the hook last night….Elise is going to kill me I am so late…" However she stopped mid sentence when she noticed Porta concentrating on her empty hand. Almost instantaneously Phoebe's keys appeared, conjured by Porta. Phoebe had no time to look over at Prue's disapproving face, she knew that her eldest sister frowned upon them all using magic for personal reasons, but she was desperate. She leant over and thanked Porta for her keys and then turned on her heels and raced out the door. Sometimes Porta couldn't help her conjuring, she had slight empath abilities and when she felt Phoebe's desperation, the keys just appeared. Porta was half-whitelighter, half witch. But she was a different to Paige, Porta had the ability to conjure anything she wanted, objects, people, spirits, worlds. She mainly had whitelighter powers and to everyone's surprise Elder powers, like orbing, she could heal and was self healing, and Elder lighting power. She was also slightly telepathic with her sisters and with other magical beings. None of the sister's understood Paige's distribution of power; she was by far the most powerful, with new powers and abilities constantly surprising everyone.

"So I am heading to the club to set up for tonight…and you guys are heading to the fair?" Piper asked as she started to get herself ready to leave. _Keys, purse, sunglasses…right got everything _Piper thought as she waited for Prue to answer.

"Phone…you forgot about your phone," Porta told Piper, she had heard Piper rehearse the list in her head before leaving.

"Thanks…but we talked about this, stay out of people's heads…its weird," Piper replied, as Porta just shrugged, it wasn't like she could control it.

"Yeah…we are. Hopefully Phoebe will meet us there, but these days with work who knows. Ever since Cole left, she just doesn't have fun anymore," Prue answered her thoughts worrying her about Phoebe, her sister had become so absorbed in work that she didn't think Phoebe had even dealt with Cole turning back to evil properly.

"I know maybe we should talk to her, but for now I have to go, have fun at the fair, sweetie," Piper said, her goodbye focused on Porta as she kissed her head.

Porta raced up the stairs hurrying to get changed for the fair, she put on her jean skirt with her orange and pink leggings on underneath and a pink t-shirt with "boys have germs" splashed across in white. She was in the bathroom trying to do her hair, when Paige came in.

"Hey, get out I'm having a shower," Paige said as she thew clothes down beside the sink and pointed at the door.

"No, I'm doing my hair, go to the downstairs one…besides I was in here first," Porta said her hands on her hips, defying her sister.

"Your such a brat…why don't you call for Prue. It's what you do best isn't it….Poor _little _Porta go and cry for Prue," Paige said as she grabbed Porta's arm and tried to remove her from the bathroom. However she stopped pushing when she noticed something on Porta's neck, tattoo like, at the base of her hair line, in the shape of a bird, or what Paige thought was a bird. "What's that?" Paige asked as she grabbed Porta's wrist and turned her around, "Forget to take a shower again huh…Grub?"

Porta didn't have a chance to look or answer Paige because she heard Prue yelling from downstairs, "Porta Halliwell if you aren't down here in two seconds you're not coming!" With one last cheeky grin at Paige, Porta orbed, leaving Paige with nothing to grasp and the eerie feeling that something wasn't right with her sister.

Prue and Porta had spent the morning at the Porta's school fair, Phoebe turned up around lunchtime, and Prue had to pry the cell phone from Phoebe and switch it off in order to actually hold a proper conversation with her sister.

"Look Phoebe this is getting ridiculous, you not a work orientated person," Prue said the exasperation evident in her voice.

"I know it is just so much easier…and you know I love my wo…._Cole_," Phoebe said her jaw dropping open.

"Phoebe we have been over is a demon…it's not a healthy relation…"Prue said stroking her sister's arm, however she never got to finish her sentence because Phoebe was shaking her head and pointing behind her….

"No…._Cole is here,"_ Phoebe said turning Prue around. At that Prue saw, coming towards to them, the man that wanted to kill them and who taken Phoebe's heart. Cole was dressed casual, a big smile plastered on his face, and as he got closer, Prue saw that he had little arms wrapped around his neck, she looked down and saw legs peaking out from under his arms, she recognised Porta's cross trainers.

"Porta get down! And you stay the hell away from her," Prue instructed, and Cole let Porta get off his back from their piggy back ride. Porta knew Prue was angry so she rushed over to Phoebe and held her hand. Porta could sense Phoebe's love, mixed with anger and fear. Porta thought she could almost hear Phoebe's heart thumping. "Your lucky we are surrounded by people otherwise I'd vanish your sorry arse," Prue said, her eyes displaying hatred.

"No…" Porta said looking in Cole's mind, "He's here for me…your scared," Porta finished titling her head in confusion about Cole.

"You never surprise me Prue…you wanted to kill me the first day you met me and that's why I chose to come out into the open here," He said waving his arms around. "I come with a warning, not because anything has changed…"He began, focusing on Phoebe when he said the last part. "But because I care about what happens to her," He said indicating Porta. Cole and Porta had a bond when he and Phoebe were together, Cole would read to her at night and make shadow puppet stories on the walls, they were friends, almost the best of friends.

"What are you talking about?" Phoebe said drawing Porta in closer, she felt Prue instinctively moving towards Porta as well.

"The Golden Phoenix has been killed," Cole said looking at the three sisters, "And the Source thinks that Porta is the one to take his place, and that means he wants her on his side or if she won't join him, he'll just kill her… Be careful." And with that he turned and left, he did what he could to warn them, the rest would be up to the sisters.

"What's a golden _phoeniss_…" Porta asked staring at Prue. She could tell whatever it was it wasn't good, because Prue pulled Porta towards her and just said, "No!"

Phoebe and Prue got home and called a family meeting, with not either one of them taking their eyes of Porta. Porta was starting to get annoyed, did they think she was dangerous, or a different person? All she could sense from them was fear.

Piper had got home confused at Cole's message, but was absolutely shocked when Phoebe read from the Book of Shadows:

_Golden Phoenix, creature of the fire, neither good nor evil at birth, it must choose a side of power when assigned the powers. The Golden Phoenix, gets its powers from the passing of the old Golden Phoenix, its powers and sign is reincarnated and passed to a rightful successor. The successor must be a phoenix (half one magical being and half another) and for the powers to pass, they must be the most powerful phoenix. The powers of the Golden Phoenix are unclear, as there has never been one on the side of good. However, rumours are that the Golden Phoenix has powers that outstrip the source if tapped into properly. Previous Golden Phoenixes include a half demon, half manticore and half warlock half human, neither ever challenged the source. The Golden Phoenix can be identified by a tattoo on the back of the neck. Because of free will, the Golden Phoenix has to choose a side within forty eight hours of receiving their power, and after that the magical world and phoenixes will stop for its coronation to rule the half-breeds.  
_

"That can't be true, Porta doesn't have a tattoo on the back of her neck…she's nine for Christ's sake," Piper said panicking.

"Yes she does I saw it this morning…" Paige whispered, not wanting to rat out her sister, but thinking that it was important that they all knew. Paige could tell Porta's eyes were glaring at her.

"Leo…Leo…if you don't get your arse down here right now, there will be no…" Piper began but stopped when orbs appeared in front of her.

"Gosh…Leo about time…what do you know?" Prue asked, her voice shaking, she was afraid of what news Leo might bring.

"Cole was right, the Elders also believe that Porta is the new Golden Phoenix," Leo said watching as he took the only hope the sisters had left, that this was all some sought of trick of Cole's.

Porta said nothing, and then the arguing started, Phoebe started on about Cole not being worth listening to, that has to be his fault and therefore not true. Prue was trying to convince everyone that binding Porta's powers was the best thing to, whilst Piper was convinced that they all would be killed by The Source. Paige was the only one that seemed to notice that their sister had left the room, in obviously newly obtained golden orbs.

"How is it possible that she got chosen, I mean aren't Paige and her both equal, half-witch half-whitelighter?" Phoebe asked trying to understand.

"The Elders believe that perhaps Porta was conceived when Sam was an Elder, well he was only briefly, then your mother died, well you guys know the story…making Porta a lot more powerful then other magical beings or witches," Leo said, his voice of reason always coming through.

"Well I'm sure, Porta would love to know that… if she was still _here_," Paige said, pulling the lollipop from her mouth, a nervous habit.

"Porta…PORTA," Prue yelled running past her other sisters up the stairs.

Prue could here sobbing, coming from Porta's room, she was glad that Porta wasn't old enough to think about orbing out of the house, like Paige threatened to do daily. Porta had orbed to the bathroom first and stole Piper's handheld mirror, she climbed onto of the vanity and reflected the mirror into the bigger one so she could see her neck. And there it was, the size of a matchbox, a Phoenix painted gold. She tried rubbing her neck, still there. She tried water, still there. She raced into Phoebe's room and got her make-up remover, still there. She was lost….what was she? She ran to her room flung herself onto her bed, crying.

Prue opened the door, to find her sister under the covers, her head poking out over the pink pillows. Their Grams had made this room for Porta before she died, it was all pink, and the only room in the house with a window seat, covered in soft toys and pink cushions. It was the room of innocence and good….wasn't, Prue thought, was her sister evil? Prue walked over to the bed and sat on the corner, waiting for Porta to talk to her to acknowledge her presence.

"I'm sorry…." Porta said, turning around and looking at Prue.

Prue looked at her baby sister and wiped the tears from her eyes, "Its okay, it's not your fault and I'm sorry we were arguing, it's just that this is new…we are trying to protect you…" Prue said.

"You mean stop me from coming evil," Porta said, wiping her nose on the back of her hand, knowing that in any other circumstances her eldest sister would have made her go and get a tissue, but Prue said nothing.

"Grub…your not evil…you can be really annoying and a brat…but not evil," Paige said using her nickname for Porta, coming into the room followed by Piper and Phoebe.

"Yeah we won't let you be," Phoebe said as she jumped onto Porta's bed and lay down next to her.

"What about the Source…" Porta began to say, followed by more tears.

"Do you think he stands a chance against us, the Power of Five," Piper said getting on the bed as well, giving Porta a cheeky grin.

"So let's see that mark!" Prue said, indicating to Porta.

Porta slowing turned over and pulled up her long hair, and let her sisters see the Phoenix mark, like a gold tattoo on her hairline. "Hey…that's hot…do you know how much that would cost to get done," Phoebe said, jealous of her sister's pain free awesome tat. Paige and Piper laughed, trust Phoebe to see the glamorous side of things, and it calmed Porta down enough that she laughed and stopped worrying, maybe everything was going to be okay. Piper laughed and started tickling Porta, loving the little giggles coming from her. Soon all sister's were involved, Prue made a pillow soar across the room and hit Paige, Paige orbed it onto Phoebe's head, and then they all got involved in the play fight with Phoebe yelling occasionally, "Hey no active powers…no fair."

And that's how they stayed all night, in Porta's tiny single bed, Phoebe and Paige laying down the bed, with Piper across the bottom, her head on Pheobe's legs and Porta in the middle of the three of them, touching each one of them and her hand held by Prue who took the chair next to her bed, sleepless, wondering, waiting and worrying about tomorrow….

thanks for reading...please review!


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